Hey guys, first time to the forums. I'm a member of team 167, from Iowa City, The Children of the Corn Robotics. I'd like to share a completely different set of crazy ideas about the clue:
"Take your machine out of the shop on Colorado in Paramount;"
Released in 1941 by Paramount pictures, "In Old Colorado" (
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033753/) was a movie about a conflict over water rights between two workers. Perhaps the main plot--a territory battle --is the main game we play. We have to claim as much territory as possible, perhaps by stealing units of X from each other.
"stop by and get connected on Central in Phoenix;"
Central transport international has an office in Phoenix
http://www.centraltransportint.com/S...aspx?zip=85043. It's a large shipping company--perhaps we have to carry a lot of things from one side to another (back to the territory battle), such as whoever ends up with the most units of X on their side wins.
"drive by and make a pickup on Minnetonka in Minnetonka; "
The use of "pickup" and repeat of "tonka" sounds like trucks. A tonka truck could be a dumpster, a pickup is a truck that could also carry lots of things, which would be necessary to transport the units of X onto our playing field.
"then head to the field on Evergreen in Dover."
To get from Dover to Evergreen (delaware), you take DuPont highway. DuPont is a huge sponsor of nascar, which could mean the game involves a race against each other or just against time. There was also an automobile company (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Du_Pont_Motors) known for quality and style. Also, they started out making marine engines for WWI--so perhaps the whole event is UNDERWATER!!
and finally, about the fish:
The large eyes of the Opah fish sounds like a camera tie, which seems very probable for an autonomous mode. Also, the opah fish has a "telescoping mouth", which could certainly work with the whole "take as many to your side as possible" game; a gaping mouth that opens and then closes around a bunch of units of X then lets them go once on their side.
So, i had fun taking this in a different direction
If any of you are going to the Milwaukee regional, you should track me down and say hi!